Measuring, scoring and cutting tool

Abstract

A hand tool for measuring, scoring and cutting construction materials is disclosed. The tool includes a housing having first and second opposed walls, with a cutting blade opening and a catch at one end thereof. A pivot is located at an opposite end of the housing. A securement having a nose and a tail is pivotably held at the housing between the walls and is deployable therefrom, the tail connected at the pivot. The nose of the securement includes a cutting blade positioning portion, a tape measure blade receiving slot and a latching structure that is releasably engageable with the catch of the housing when the securement is pivoted to an operative position. Structure defining the tape measure blade receiving slot preferably includes a lip releasably engagable at the anchoring gap feature found in the blades of most typical tape measures.

1 . A measuring and cutting tool comprising:
 a housing including first and second opposed walls and a cutting blade opening; and   a securement held at said housing between said first and second opposed walls and deployable therefrom, said securement including a cutting blade positioning portion at one end thereof and a tape measure blade receiving slot at said one end adjacent to said cutting blade positioning portion.   
   
   
       2 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein said housing includes first and second housing portions each having one of said first and second opposed walls thereat, at least one of said housing portions including locating structure at said one of first and second opposed walls thereat for limiting movement of said securement when held at said housing and for releasably retaining said securement at said housing. 
   
   
       3 . The tool of  claim 2  wherein said locating structure includes a catch and wherein said securement includes a yieldable latch releasably engageable by said catch. 
   
   
       4 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein said securement includes a second end spaced from said one end and a spare blade retainer located between said cutting blade positioning portion and said second end. 
   
   
       5 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein said cutting blade positioning portion of said securement is cooperative with blade positioning features defined at least at one of said first and second opposed walls of said housing to maintain a selected cutting blade position when installed. 
   
   
       6 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein said tape measure blade receiving slot at said one end of said securement includes a slot wall having a lip defined thereat and positioned and configured to engage with a tape measure blade feature. 
   
   
       7 . A hand tool for measuring and cutting comprising:
 a housing including first and second opposed walls and a cutting blade opening at one end of said housing and defined between said opposed walls, said housing having a catch located at said one end and a pivot located at said first opposed wall adjacent to a second end of said housing opposite said one end; and   a securement having a nose and a tail, said tail connected at said pivot of said housing for pivotable deployment of said securement from said housing, said nose of said securement including a cutting blade positioning portion, a tape measure blade receiving slot and a latching structure, said latching structure releasably engageable with said catch of said housing when said securement is pivoted to an operative position.   
   
   
       8 . The hand tool of  claim 7  wherein said latching structure of said nose of said securement includes a resilient arm having a detent thereat for capture of said catch of said housing. 
   
   
       9 . The hand tool of  claim 8  wherein said resilient arm of said latching structure includes a projection adjacent to said detent positioned and configured for manual access to depress said arm thereby to release and pivot said securement. 
   
   
       10 . The hand tool of  claim 7  wherein said cutting blade positioning portion of said nose of said securement includes at least one blade locating node for user selection of different blade installation locations relative to said cutting blade opening at said housing. 
   
   
       11 . The hand tool of  claim 7  wherein said securement includes a spare blade retainer defined thereat. 
   
   
       12 . The hand tool of  claim 7  wherein said tape measure blade receiving slot at said nose of said securement includes a tape measure blade engaging clip adjacent thereto. 
   
   
       13 . The hand tool of  claim 7  wherein said housing includes a widened arcuate surface at said one end opposite said cutting blade opening. 
   
   
       14 . A tool for measuring, scoring and cutting and configured for use with a tape measure having a tape measure blade at one end, the tape measure blade having a blade anchoring gap therethrough, said tool comprising:
 a housing having a cutting blade opening at one end;   a releasable securement locatable in said housing for positioning a cutting blade in said housing; and   a tape measure blade receiving slot structure defined at least at one of said housing and said securement, said slot structure including an engagement releasably engagable at the blade anchoring gap of the tape measure blade when the tape measure blade is inserted into said receiving slot structure.   
   
   
       15 . The tool of  claim 14  wherein said housing includes a catch at said one end and wherein said securement includes a mount pivotably held at a second end of said housing spaced from said one end, a resilient arm located at said securement and having a portion releasably engageable at said catch of said housing. 
   
   
       16 . The tool of  claim 15  wherein said housing includes first and second housing portions each having an inner wall, at least one of said housing portions including locating structure at said inner wall thereof for limiting pivoting movement of said securement in one direction. 
   
   
       17 . The tool of  claim 14  wherein said engagement of said slot structure includes a yieldable resilient tongue having a blade anchoring gap engaging lip located thereat. 
   
   
       18 . The tool of  claim 14  wherein said securement includes at least a first cutting blade locating node defining first and second available blade positions relative to said cutting blade opening of said housing. 
   
   
       19 . The tool of  claim 14  wherein said housing includes a widened arcuate surface at said one end opposite said cutting blade opening, said surface including gripping striations thereat. 
   
   
       20 . The tool of  claim 14  wherein said securement includes a spare blade retainer.